Tampa Bay Area Beaches

Travis here with a truly delicious event – the Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival.  As far as Tampa Bay area events go, this one is at the top of the list to attend.  From Nov. 7-8, sun, sand and plenty of seafood line the shores of Tampa Bay for the annual Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival. 

More than 20 vendors and restaurants offer visitors tastes of their seafood specialties, including shrimp, cracked conch, grouper sandwiches, clam chowder, alligator and oysters. 

In addition to the seafood, an arts and crafts area has nearly 100 displays of hand-crafted goods, wood carvings, furniture, jewelry, stained glass items and commercial exhibits. Other entertainment includes a boat show, children’s court and exotic animals. 

There’s something for the entire family, so head out and enjoy a day full of food, culture and fun!  Admission is $5 for adults and children (under 12) are FREE.  Plus, parking is free!  Visit www.ruskinseafoodfestival.org to get more details. 

So, put it on your calendar and get ready for a great time!  And keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay!
 

Travis here with some Tampa Bay entertainment that is good for the whole family.  You can join the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department for a sunset movie at Medard Park in Planty City. 

They are showing the famed Shrek next Sat. Oct. 24.  The movie starts at 7:15pm and the gates open at 5:15pm...so get there early.  Here are some Q&A for you -

WHERE CAN I PARK?  Enter Medard Park at Turkey Creek Road and you will be directed to the FREE parking area by an attendant. 

HOW WILL THE FILMS BE SHOWN?  they project the movies on a high-quality digital rear-projection system on a giant, inflatable 50-foot wide screen. Dual, synchronized digital projectors will produce an image that is luminous and crisp, and a powerful sound system will allow guests to enjoy the movie from almost anywhere in the park. 

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE?  Way before the film begins.  You can arrive as early as 5:15pm for Shrek. Part of the fun will be arriving early to picnic, toss a Frisbee, people-watch and enjoy the early evening with your friends and neighbors.  Prior to the film, you might even see yourself on the big screen as snapshots of guests at the park are flashed upon the screen.   

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS?  The Tampa area is known for the scattered showers that are prominent during the late afternoons. The dark sky can intimidate and it may look grim for an outdoor movie, but don't let that scare you away. We will show a movie in light rain. We will only stop the show for safety reasons if there are very strong winds or lightning in the vicinity. Otherwise...the show will go on!

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?  Along with your friends and family, you might want to bring blankets, compact beach or lawn chairs, your own snacks, beverages, and rain gear if the weather is iffy.  If you like to toss nerf balls or Frisbees, bring them.  If you like to read, bring a book to read prior to sunset and the start of the movie. 

WHAT FOOD, BEVERAGES AND MERCHANDISE WILL BE AVAILABLE?  Tampa Theatre will provide all Sunset Cinema concessions and merchandise booths, featuring a traditional theater concessions stand offering popcorn ($2), candy ($3) soft drinks ($2) Gatorade, bottled water ($3), and juice boxes for the kids ($1).  Fun souvenirs like official Sunset Cinema Frisbees and picnic blankets will also be available.  Proceeds from concessions and merchandise sales help support Tampa Theatre’s year-round artistic and educational programming, and offset the cost of producing Sunset Cinema events.

CAN I BRING MY DOG(S)?  Well behaved pets are allowed as long as they are kept on a leash. Please clean up after your pets. We love our dogs just as much as you, but we will revisit our policy if pet owners are inconsiderate of others, or if the large crowds, darkness and abrupt loudness of the movies make pets disruptive to others.

HOW MUCH DO TICKETS COST?  Admission is FREE!

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?  e-mail gargoyles@tampatheatre.org – "our small but intrepid staff will answer e-mail questions within 24 hours (Monday through Friday)."

So, get the friends and family ready, and go have some fun.

we'll see you here next time for more great things to do in Tampa Bay and other Tampa Bay area events.
 

Hey everyone!  Travis here with some great Tampa Bay area events for November.  We are talking about the Florida Orchestra today!  They have some wonderful events for everyone throughout November, so take a look. 

The Florida Orchestra (TFO) has three upcoming performances in November, each unique in its own way.

October 31 & November 1: The Tampa Bay Steel Orchestra
Principal Percussionist John Shaw returns with The Tampa Bay Steel Orchestra and Tampa Bay vocalist Fred Johnson to share the stage with TFO in a night of sizzling steel drum and Caribbean hits, including Yellow Bird, Marianne, Day-O, Jump In the Line, One Love and more.

The Tampa Bay Steel Orchestra's seven members are amongst the most accomplished steel pan players in the country. The group has appeared with TFO and been featured at First Night in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Caribbean Carnival.  In 2001, four members performed the national anthem for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, becoming the first steel drum band ever to do so for a Major League Baseball game.

Show times: Sat., Oct. 31 at 8 pm, Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater; and Sun., Nov. 1 at 7:30 pm, Ruth Eckerd Hall
Tickets: $20, $30, $43, $53, $67

November 6, 7 & 8: Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
Scottish composer James MacMillan makes his conducting debut with The Florida Orchestra in a program featuring the US East Coast-premiere of his The Sacrifice: Three Interludes on a program with the TFO premiere of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 4 and featuring the orchestra’s concertmaster Jeffrey Multer in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. 

Acclaimed as one of today’s greatest living composers, James MacMillan’s musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, his Roman Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended together with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.

Show times: Fri., Nov, 6 at 8 pm, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center - Carol Morsani Hall; Sat., Nov. 7 at 8 pm, Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater; and Sun., Nov. 8 at 7:30 pm, Ruth Eckerd Hall
Tickets: $20, $30, $43, $53, $67

November 27, 28 & 29: Classical Mystery Tour
With members of the acclaimed Broadway sensation Beatlemania, it's a night of Beatles hits…Penny Lane, Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, Strawberry Fields Forever, I Saw Her Standing There and more.  The Los Angeles Times singled out their concert for its “high goose-bump quotient,” adding “the crowd stood and bellowed for more.” 

Performing in concerts with orchestras around the world, the members of the band are all accomplished vocalists and include Jim Owen on rhythm guitar and piano, Tony Kishman on bass guitar and piano, Chris Camilleri on drums and Tom Teeley on lead guitar.

Show times: Fri., Nov. 27 at 8 pm, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center - Carol Morsani Hall; Sat., Nov. 28 at 8 pm, Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater; and Sun., Nov. 29 at 2pm, Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater
Tickets: $20, $30, $43, $53, $67

If you're looking for more information about these, just head over to www.floridaorchestra.org.

and of course, keep checking back for other great things to do in Tampa Bay!  Plus, we'll have more Tampa Bay area events for you shortly.
 

Greetings, its Maria here with a Tampa Bay event that is sure to bring heat to the streets of downtown Tampa and this hot will not be about the weather but an event thats sure to provide a cool blast with an opportunity to just chill ... outdoors … that is...

Tampa’s 1st Annual Chillounge Night
Saturday Oct 10th from 6pm – 11pm

Downtown Tampa is the place to be for the Chic Stylish Outdoor Lounge Party

Four city blocks downtown near the historic Tampa Theatre will be decorated with hundreds of daybeds and plush couches & will be transformed into a South Beach-style outdoor lounges.  Tampa’s Chillounge Night will have an array entertainment, dancing, fine foods and drinks along with a fashion show, opera performances, and Cleopatra parade on beds, cigar lounge, a Brazilian Samba parade and much more!


Tampa’s Chillounge Night will be held from 6pm till 11pm - Admission is $20 at the gate, $15 in advance and limited VIP tickets $75. (All VIP tickets include: food, gift bag, cigar and drinks in the special VIP Lounge area). 

So come get your chic on for an enchanted evening to mix & mingle or check out the captivating sights and simply chill … but you must be 21 years old to enter and enjoy this event!

This evening of entertainment will also benefit the community and a local charity - The Friends of the Festival in honor of TIGLFF’s 20th anniversary.

Keep coming back for more information about this and other Tampa Bay area events and other great things to do in Tampa Bay! 

Peace!

The Chillounge Night party is the brainstorm of Floridian gallery owner Rainer Scheer, for more information on Chillounge events click here .

Hey everyone!  Travis back with some cool Tampa Tourism information that you don't usually see.  Hillsborough County recently revised and updated their SouthShore: What A Difference A Bay Makes Ecotourism Guide.  The guide highlights activities in the SouthShore area, as well as the small businesses in the community that cater to visitors and outdoor enthusiasts. 

The pamphlet lists outdoor activities including biking, bird-watching, canoeing and kayaking, crabbing, geocaching, hiking, golfing and many more.  Also listed are accommodations, ecotours, nature education centers and a calendar of events.

To view the SouthShore Ecotourism Guide, just head over to www.hillsboroughcounty.org/econdev/tourism.  Or, if you are out and about, you can also pick one up at the Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Bay & Company Visitor Information Center at Channelside Bay Plaza. 

This is a perfect guide if you want to get out and explore Tampa Bay's natural bueaty in ways you never have before.  So, get out there and start exploring! 

We'll be bringing you more great things to do in Tampa Bay, both in nature and elsewhere, so keep checking back for some cool Tampa Bay area events!
 

Greetings! It's Lisa, and I am back to tell you all about this weekend's fun and exciting Labor Day events!

Start your long weekend off early - tonight - at the Tropicana Field by supporting the Tampa Bay Rays as they face the Boston Red Sox in the third game of the 3-day series. Game time is 7:08 p.m. If you miss this game, no worries, you have all weekend to go out and support the Rays as they have another 3-day series against the Detroit Tigers. The game to go to - Saturday night! Why, because you'll get a FREE concert afterwards from the Beach Boys! GO RAYS!

If you can't make it out to the Rays game, stop by MOSI with your family to experience the IMAX film Van Gogh: Brush with Genius. Here, you'll see the extraordinary colors and passionate brushwork of Vincent van Gogh take on new life in the dazzling giant screen film. Audiences will re-live Van Gogh's life journey through his letters, visit the landscapes that inspired him, and discover a Van Gogh they never knew before.


In more of an outdoor mood? Ok, we can work with that! Head over to the Ford Amphitheatre on either Friday or Saturday to experience an outdoor concert. Your choices: Friday night - Depeche Mode. Saturday night - Lil' Wayne. Variety....that's one thing Tampa has a lot of!

Feely artsy? Ok! The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center presents "My Children! My Africa!" by Athol Fugard on Friday at 8 p.m. The story examines the power of learning and the potency of words, ideas and hope in a time of heightened political and social unrest. Mr. M., a dedicated black teacher in a segregated township, is determined to pair his most gifted student with an enthusiastic white schoolgirl in an English literature competition.

Need a little more action...? Check out Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC) – the southeast’s largest independent Mixed Martial Arts promotion and the top-drawing promotion in the history of Florida MMA. They are returning to the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Don’t miss the action!
 

If this isn’t enough, log on to www.VisitTampaBay.com for more things to do in Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay area events. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

~Cheers!

Hey Tampa Bay...here's your day 2 recap from here in Prague! 

The excitement and intensity is building.  Most of the team members have arrived now.  There are paddlers from many states across the country, including the Pacific coast states.  Eventually, we will have about 190 paddlers representing the United States.

Our practice this afternoon went very well.  Each of the nine teams and the two junior teams got to paddle together for the first time.  It’s amazing how well each team came together and within a few minutes began to look like they had paddled together for a long time. 

We all feel the need (and pressure) to adapt to a common stroke technique as quickly and efficiently as possible.  Coach Bob McNamara was incredibly patient getting each team organized and briefed regarding the various strategies and techniques each team would employ during the races.  The practices weren’t long, like the ones we have during the regular season. 

These are tuning and technique sessions; starts, transitions, power series, finishes, etc.  I’m sitting in the back of the boat.  On the Senior A men’s team I’m in row 9, and on the Senior B Mixed team I’m in row 7.  I’ve always paddled from row 4 in Tampa, so I’m adjusting to the water moving more from the paddlers ahead of me.  It makes me want to work even harder.  Fitness and the ability to adapt and keep up is assumed and expected.  No problem for the Florida contingency! 

I was breathing pretty hard a couple of times, but don’t tell anyone.  I didn’t let it show!

The weather is gorgeous. . . warm, sunny and perky.  Sometimes it’s a little hard to concentrate.  Remember, we’re in Europe.  It’s summer and the race facility is essentially open to the public.  There is a paved road around the entire water area so it’s a great workout area.  While not crowded, there are cyclists, runners, roller-bladers and sun bathers. 

Yes, sun bathers.  It’s Europe remember.  And there were couples along the shore sunbathing.  So, on a couple of runs down the course our steersperson, Simon Shum (Miami, remember) seemed to only be able to find an open outside lane, outside, like close to shore.  The view on shore required our drummer (Angela) to bark “eyes in the boat” many times as we paddled down the course.  I think it did give our team a lift.  

At the end of practice, everyone was pumped at how well it had gone. . . not perfectly, but very well and we knew that tomorrow we’d iron out the last bugs and be in great shape for Wednesday’s opening ceremonies and the first official races of these 9th World Dragon Boat Championships.  We were slapping each other’s backs and high-five’ing.  This is going to be fun! 

(By the way, we saw one of the Chinese teams. . . again, they pretty darn good! .. .very fast stroke rate.  But can they do that for a 500 or 1,000 meters, I, for one, doubt it.)

We hopped back on the buses for the hour trip back into Prague looking forward to hot showers and a good restaurant for dinner.  This is a long way from the Tampa Bay dining and Tampa Bay nightlife that we are used to, but it's great! 

Lights out will be early tonight because our last practices before racing are in the morning.

Good night, and more later.

 

Hi everyone...Phil here, paddling for Team USA.  We are going to take you out of the world of Tampa Bay events and Tampa Bay entertainment, and take you across the world. 

It's Monday morning here in Prague.  Pam, Dan and I arrived at Tampa International Airport on Saturday morning all excited and ready to go.  We cannot believe we're about to cross the big pond to represent the USA in an international competion. 

Everyone in Tampa has been so incredibly supportive, believe me when I say that we feel incredibly honored to represent the USA and Tampa and feel an equal level of responsibility to represent the USA and Tampa as best we can.  Little did we know we'd have a competition sooner than expected.  After checking in and heading for the Delta airside, we encountered our first international competition event. 

Pam "took on" the tram boarding agent who wouldn't allow her carry-on bag to go over to airside.  After some prying and peeling I got Pam to settle down, she bought another carry-on of appropriate size, we re-packed her stuff and successfully crossed the tram entrance barrier! 

We luckily avoided an early "international incident" in the trip.  We don't have to worry about Pam and competition. . .the killer instinct is in full force.  After a few "normal" delays with flights we departed JFK about an hour late and with several more USA team members catching the same flight to Prague. 

The excitement was building as we all anxiously exchanged greetings and notes on our trips so far getting to JFK.  Some of the competitors were arriving from the west coast.  Jet lag here we come.  About nine LONG hours later, now Sunday morning about 2:00am est, we landed in Prague - 9:00am Prague time. 

After a quick check-in at the Clarion Congress Hotel (very nice, I might add) and breakfast we headed into Prague for a quick look-see.  After figuring out the local currency and the metro we got into Prague.  It is, as I know you've heard, a beautiful city full of old historic buildings with incredible architecture. 

We couldn't stay long as we were scheduled for our first practice at the race site in the afternoon.  But our appetite had been wetted for more of Prague. . .I know you'll hear more later.  Back at the hotel, we all gathered at about 2:30pm (remember, we haven't really slept, can't really count the plane, since Friday night yet!), boarded two buses and headed for the race site in Racicie. 

While only about 24 miles, it took about an hour to get there.  I fought the desire to sleep, but some of the others couldn't fight it off and took little naps!  The race site is a huge man-made lake.  It is eight to ten lanes wide and well over 1,000 meters long.  As I understand, it was created after mining sand left the area with this large dregded out area.  It was great to get some exercise and wipe out the cobweds.
 
My batter is low so I'm signing off for now...and looking for a plug.  More later.

~Phil